LET us consider together briefly these words
of the Apostle Paul, addressed to the
Church of Christ, the saints.
They do not
apply to those who are merely empty professors,
having a form of godliness only, but
to those who have fully accepted the terms
of God's Call, who have made the full consecration
which alone brings us into the
position of sons of God.
These are the only
ones who have the Spirit of God.
These
only are begotten from Above.
But St. Paul would have
us remember that it is not sufficient that we receive the
begetting of the Holy Spirit, which comes to us at the
very entrance of the narrow way.
We should see that
the Holy Spirit of God abounds in us more and more as
we go on in our Heavenward course.
The little spark of
the new mind should grow stronger and brighter day by day.

If this development does not take place, if we merely
stand still, we shall soon begin to lose ground; but if we
progress, the natural man will gradually perish and the
new man will thrive.
Christian development should be
steady and continuous.
We are to be more and more
filled with the Spirit.
Sometimes the Lord's children say,
"I do desire to be filled with the Lord's Spirit, but it seems
as if my capacity is so small.
I wish to have His Spirit
in large measure, but I am unable to be what I long to be.
I am not satisfied with my attainments."
But if we are
striving earnestly and prayerfully to become like Christ,
let us not be discouraged.
Let us remember that if we
keep filled to our present capacity, this very infilling will
enlarge our capacity.
Then our earthen vessel will hold
more of the Holy Spirit.
This, in turn, still further enlarges
our capacity; and so the expanding and filling
goes on.
Thus it is possible for us to be filled continually.

If it were an impossibility for us to be filled with the
Spirit of God, the inspired Apostle would not have so
instructed us.
To the truly consecrated child of God
this is possible, and not only possible, but obligatory.
But
as there are ebbs and flows in the ocean tides, so with
our sense of the Lord's presence with us and His smile
upon us.
We may not always realize His presence to a
large degree, but the Lord's saints must learn to walk by
faith, to trust Him and His abiding love and presence with
us even though physical ill health or untoward outward [R5912 : page 183] circumstances or conditions may at times cause a mental
depression.
We are to rejoice in the Lord even though
there may be for a time more or less heaviness of spirit.

DAILY SELF-EXAMINATION NECESSARY

In speaking of the glorious salvation of the Church
the Apostle Peter says, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness
through manifold temptations [trials], that the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, might be found unto praise and honor and glory
at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen ye
love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing,
ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:6-8.)
And we can thus rejoice even in the midst
of severe trials that cause pain and tears.
There may
be times when it will seem as though we are more filled
with the Spirit than at other times.
But if we are striving
earnestly to daily walk with God, this will not really
be the case.
It may be only a difference of surface feelings.
The true child of the Lord should steadily progress.

The spirit, or disposition, of the world will seek to
invade the dominion of the New Creature.
But the New
Creature must be on the alert to see that his mind and
body are freed from everything that would not be in
fullest harmony with God's Holy Spirit.
Each one should
seek to judge himself in this respect.
We may not judge
one another, but we should judge ourselves.
We are to
see to it that the Spirit of the Lord is manifest in our
words, our thoughts and our conduct.
We should be
able to do this more and more successfully, more and
more continually, as we go on in the good way and grow
in grace and knowledge.
This we shall do if we are
watching, praying, striving, day by day.

The Spirit of the Lord dwelling in us in fulness, as it
should be, will cause our entire being to be so absorbed
by the principles of righteousness laid down in the Lord's
Word, to be so in love with the Heavenly things, Heavenly
hopes, Heavenly prospects, that everything else will
be of no value to us.
And this will be more and more
our blessed experience if we continue faithfully in the
narrow way, if we "follow on to know the Lord."

But if, on the contrary, we find ourselves making
provision for the flesh, making worldly plans; if we find
ourselves inclined to lay up treasures on earth instead
of in Heaven, we should take alarm, and should ask ourselves
whether we are deficient, whether we are neglecting
the means of graceprayer alone with God, study
of His Word, meditation upon the glorious things to
which we have been called, watching ourselves as to our
growth in the fruits of the Spirit.
If we find that we
are considerably controlled by the spirit of contention,
we should ask ourselves, "Are we seeking to deal justly
and equitably with othersto give them their rights and
not to intrude upon them?
Are we cultivating the love which is forbearing, forgiving and kind?"2 Timothy 2:24; Ephesians 4:31,32.

If we find after close introspection that we are in full
sympathy with the spirit of love, and can see that we are
gradually developing this crowning fruit of the Spirit,
let us rejoice; for we should greatly deplore the matter
if it were otherwise.
If we find that we are controlled
by this spirit of love, we may know that we are filled
with the Spirit.
This spirit of love will enlarge our
hearts and minds, making us broader and nobler day by day.

But we need to continually watch and pray; for there
is constant danger otherwise that we may be tripped up
or stumbled either by our own faults or those of others.
We are never safe from being side-tracked unless we go
often to the Throne of Grace; we cannot be filled unless
we keep very close to the great Fountain from which
our infilling comes.
We must daily carry our earthen
pitcher to this Heavenly Fountain to be replenished; for
we are leaky vessels.
We are not to feel discouraged if
we do not find in ourselves the rapid growth that we desire
to see.
Strong, sturdy trees that can withstand the
fiercest storms are not developed in a day.
Their growth
is a slow, steady process.
We should show our loyalty
to the Lord by renewed effort every time we fail.
He
is looking at us not to see if we are perfect in
the fleshfor He knows that we are not and can never
bebut to see whether or not we have the spirit of
earnestness and loyalty which daily and hourly seeks to
keep the body under and to cheerfully take up the cross.

BLESSED RESULTS OF SPIRIT'S INFILLING

The Christian is not to be like the worldling who
seeks to drown his troubles and afflictions in drink or in
pleasures, dissipations and frivolous diversions; but in
every trouble he is to fly to the only true Source of solace
and comfort and strength.
This will drive away all
anxiety and give him rest and peace even in the midst
of trouble.
Like the fabled halcyon, which built its nest
and brought forth its birdlings in the midst of the sea,
the true child of God can be at rest even amidst the billows
and storms of life, and can prosper as a New Creature
and accomplish all the good pleasure of God's will.

This unwavering trust in the Lord, this abiding rest
of the soul, this zeal in God's service, is a matter of growth.
"They go from strength to strength," the Psalmist declares
of the inhabitants of Zion.
"First the blade, then
the ear, after that the full corn in the ear," said our Lord
of this class. (Psalm 84:7; Mark 4:28.)
Notwithstanding
the difficulties of life, these can continue to make
melody in their hearts unto the Lord.
They rejoice no [R5913 : page 183] matter what may be the outward earthly conditions.
They
can smile even through their tears, knowing that, according
to His promise, all things are working together for
their good.
To attain this development is to be filled
with the Spirit; and each consecrated disciple of Christ
should reach this plane.

Some Christian writer has well said: "Wherever there
has been a faithful following of the Lord in a consecrated
heart, several things have, sooner or later, inevitably followed.
Meekness and quietness of spirit become in time
the characteristics of the daily life.
A submissive acceptance
of the will of God, as it comes in the hourly
events of each day, is manifested; pliability in the hands
of God to do or to suffer all the good pleasure of His
will; sweetness under provocation; calmness in the midst
of turmoil and bustle; a yielding to the wishes of others
[where there is no conflicting principle involved], and
an insensibility to slights and affronts; absence of worry
or anxiety; deliverance from care and fearall these,
and many other similar graces, are invariably found to
be the natural outward development of that inward life
which is 'hid with Christ in God.'"